BEING a consistent, non-heartlands rugby league side is no mean feat, but Midlands Hurricanes seem to be hitting the spot in recent seasons.
Nine wins out of 18 was enough to ensure the Hurricanes finished the 2025 League One campaign in fifth – the exact same position they finished in 2024.
Head coach Mark Dunning continues to impress with his matter-of-fact approach to life in the third tier whilst tremendous work continues off the field from the likes of owner Mike Lomas and managing director Eorl Crabtree.
Of course, the merger of the Championship and League One will bring greater struggles on the field, but the Hurricanes could thrive from second-tier fans making the trip to Birmingham – and new home Avery Fields – for the first time.
Dunning has been able to bring in respected Championship players for the 2026 campaign also, with Lewis Else (Rochdale), Danny Craven (Sheffield), Cian Tyrer (Oldham), Oliver Roberts (Sheffield) and Brandon Moore (Batley) just some of those set to bring experience and versatility to the club.
One to watch
The capture of Lewis Else from previous League One rivals Rochdale is a big one to say the least.
Else boasts an impressive try-to-game ratio of 52 tries in just 93 games and jointly earned the League One Player of the Year last season, having also won the accolade 12 months earlier.
A halfback by trade, Else’s kicking game and organisational skills will help the Hurricanes when they go up against some of the top-end Championship sides.
Squad: 1 Todd Horner, 2 Matty Chrimes, 3 Ryan Johnson, 4 Ross Oakes, 5 Luis Roberts, 6 Danny Craven, 7 Lewis Else, 8 Jon Luke Kirby, 9 Aiden Roden, 10 Tyler Dickinson, 11 Tom Wilkinson, 12 Oliver Roberts, 13 Mikey Wood, 14 Brandon Moore, 15 Elliot Morris, 16 Zeus Silk, 17 Kieran Moran, 18 Owen Restall, 19 Sully Medforth, 20 Toby Warren, 21 Zach Jebson, 22 Cian Tyrer, 23 Callum McLelland, 24 Sam Bowring, 25 Danny Barcoe, 26 Ethan Newboult, 27 Louis Beattie
Ins: Lewis Else (Rochdale), Danny Craven (Sheffield), Cian Tyrer (Oldham), Oliver Roberts (Sheffield), Zach Jebson (Hull FC), Owen Restall (Halifax), Tyler Dickinson (Sheffield), Brandon Moore (Batley), Toby Warren (Leeds)
Outs: Aaron Willis (Swinton), Ellis Hobson, Jake Sweeting, Matty Hanley, Brad Billsborough, Courage Mkuhlani (all released), Marcus Green (Sheffield), Liam Kirk (Batley), Josh Jordan-Roberts (retired)